Dominating the net: British stars take over the nations conversations during Wimbledon

Wimbledon’s iconic middle Sunday proved to be the busiest day for Vodafone’s network, with 6,100 gigabytes of data used by visitors across the Grounds. Interest peaked during Cam Norrie’s gripping five-set victory against Chile’s Nicolas Jarry, with a huge 3,000 gigabytes of data being consumed across the epic four-and-a-half-hour match – enough to stream more than 600 HD films.

Yet, it was the opening day that really got Brits talking, with Katie Boulter and Sonay Kartal’s impressive victories against Paula Badosa and Jelena Ostapenko helping to drive over 46,000 voice calls, as fans phoned home. Wimbledon fever extended well beyond the grounds, with more than 10,000 Brits streaming Carlos Alcaraz’s nail-biting five-set victory over 38-year-old Fabio Fognini on their phones during work hours – joining traditional TV audiences in the moment, according to insights from Barb.

It wasn’t just the tennis that kept the nation hooked, however, as Google Trends revealed a surge in curiosity around the nation’s stars. Searches for “Sonay Kartal tattoos” soared by a massive 9,900%, while “Jack Draper hair” and “Cam Norrie accent” ranked among the nation’s top searches for each player, showing Brits’ interests in their homegrown heroes beyond the court.

And it wouldn’t be Wimbledon without the weather taking centre stage, with searches for “Wimbledon heat” soaring by 683% as Brits braced themselves for the sweltering conditions. Meanwhile, the age-old debate between “Henman Hill” and “Murray Mound” reignited online once again, seeing the Englishman coming out on top this year, with 58% more searches for the ‘Hill’ versus the ‘Mound’.

The Championships continued to fuel the nations’ excitement, with searches for “tennis court nearby” more than doubling – up 120% since the event began – as fans were inspired to pick up a racket themselves.

In total, 548,770 tennis fans attended this year’s Championships – an all-time attendance record. Together, fans consumed more than 69,000 gigabytes of data across the two weeks.

Iain Milligan, Network Development & Infrastructure Director, VodafoneThree, said: “From music festivals to Centre Court, connecting fans to iconic British moments is exactly what The Nation’s Network is built for. As Official Connectivity Partner to The Championships, we proudly power SW19 with 5G Standalone connectivity, delivering faster speeds and greater coverage for fans across the grounds. In turn, allowing them to share their favourite moments with friends, call home to fully dissect the match or hit search to find out more about their favourite stars.”

As Official Connectivity Partner to The Championships, Vodafone – The Nation’s Network – has brought its reliable, award-winning*** network to SW19, ensuring fans can stay connected to the action and enjoy the very best of the British summer with their friends. Vodafone enabled its 5G Standalone network at The Championships for the first time in 2023 and since then, it has delivered faster 5G speeds and greater coverage for those on and around the grounds.

Beyond the courts, Vodafone is helping friends stay connected this summer. Its latest campaign spotlights classic British pastimes – from TV presenter Roman Kemp enjoying an afternoon at the pub with mates to a student’s joyful reunion at the train station – all of which celebrate how The Nation’s Network brings friends together to enjoy the very best of the British summer.

VodafoneThree is committed to delivering a new era of connectivity. With an £11 billion investment over eight years, VodafoneThree will be able to build a network that transforms the nation, delivering more reliable, quality connectivity to all corners of the UK.